West Helsinki public transport services to be revamped in the early 2030s

11.06.2026

HSL’s Executive Board has approved a plan to revamp public transport services in West Helsinki. The plan is built around a new tram route 14, which will provide a trunk connection between the city center and residential areas in West Helsinki. Bus routes will be adjusted to support and complement tram services. The plan will be implemented in phases, currently estimated to take place between 2029 and 2031.

“The changes outlined in the route network plan will improve service quality, particularly along trunk connections and during rush hours, as the share of rail services increases and the reliability of timetables improves. By reducing overlaps in bus services, tram services will not increase HSL’s costs, and the changes will allow us to provide comprehensive feeder and crosstown connections between areas in West Helsinki,” says Mari Linna, public transport planner and project manager for the plan.

What is the planning area?

The planning area covers the districts of Punavuori, Eira, Kamppi, Etu-Töölö, Taka-Töölö, Meilahti, Laakso, Ruskeasuo, Munkkiniemi, Haaga, Pitäjänmäki, Konala and Kaarela. The most significant service changes will take place in Kannelmäki, Haaga and Munkkivuori, where public transport will rely more on trams than before.

What will change?

The changes to services mean, among other things, that trunk buses 20 and 30 will be discontinued, as tram route 14 will replace most of their routes. Bus services to the city center will mainly run via Mannerheimintie and Mechelininkatu, while trams will run along Topeliuksenkatu and Runeberginkatu in the 2030s.

Residents participated in the planning

The plan was developed through extensive resident engagement. A survey on the first draft was conducted in January 2026. We received nearly 4,000 responses and about 2,800 open-ended comments. The survey results were used to finalize the plan. In addition, we held resident meetings and used data from our extensive travel survey as background information.

The plan aimed at cost neutrality so that the level of service would remain good without a significant increase in overall funding. The cost of the current route network was about €47.1 million in 2025. The changes to the route network and supply set out in the approved plan will reduce the operating costs of bus services by about €9.1 million per year, while the cost of tram service provision will increase by about €8.65 million.